Cigar lighter



L. v. ARONSON L88949 C IGAR LIGHTER Dec. 6, E932.

Original Filed March 17. 1927 INVENTOR. lamb I/l'omm A TTORNEYJ PatentedDec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT .or-FICE LOUIS v. .ARONSON, OIFNEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ART METAL WORKS, INC.,

A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY OIGAR LIGHTER' Application led Iaroh 17,1927, Serial No. 176,159. Renewed September 26, 1931.

The invention relates to cigar lighters or the like and the main objectof the invention is to provide a more convenient and efficient form oflighter.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages of theinvention will appear from the followin description when read inconnection with t e accompanying drawing showing an illustrativeembodiment of the invention and wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; A

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the shield removed;

Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a like section on line 6 6 of 2 Fig. 4.;

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section on line 7-(7 of Fig. 4 drawn to anenlarged scale; an

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the reciprocation element.

As shown, the device comprises a receptacle 10 elongated in horizontalcross-section as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and filled with absorbentmaterial as cotton for the receptlon 3o of fuel such as alcohol,benzine, or the like, said receptacle comprising a bottom wall 11, a topwall 12, end walls 13, 14, and side walls 15, 16, the side wallsprojecting through a 5 portion of their extent above the topwall 12 asshown.

To hold a wick for combustion of the fuel from receptacle 10,` there isshown a wick tube 17 mounted upon the top wall 12 and projectingthereabove in a position clear of the proliecting portions 18, 19 of theside walls 15, 16. To feed the wick'upwardly in the tube 17, there isshown a star wheel 21 journalled in the walls of the tube 17 andrevolving in a recess 22 therein, the star wheel being so placed thatits teeth will enter the wick as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

To provide for the revolution of the star wheel 21, the shaft upon whichit is journalled is shown as provided with an enlarged head 23 having aslot 24 in its face for engagement with a screw driver. A screw driver25 for operation of the star wheel is shown as conveniently mounted uponthe screw plug closure 26 for the filling opening 27 of the fuelreceptacle.

The head of the screw plug 26 is shown as seatlng flush in a recess 28in the bottom wall 11 of the receptacle and its diameter is such as tocause it to project slightly beyond the s1de walls 15, 16 of thereceptacle for convmence 1n manipulation in removal of the p ug.

A source of sparks for ignition of the fuel with which the wick 20 issaturated is shown 1n the form of a pyrophoric element 29 housed in atube 30 opening through each of the walls 11, 12, and passing throughthe fuel receptacle. Means for pressing the pyrophoric element outwardlyis shown in the form of a spring 31 acting between a head 32 and a screwthreaded retainer plug` 33.

The spring 31 is desirably coiled about reduced portions of members32,33 so as to be attached thereto and remain assembled with thesemembers when the pressure means is removed for replacement ofthepyrophoric material. In other words the respective ends of the spring 31are firmly attached to the respective heads 32 and 33 so that they areall removed as a unit and do not become detached from one another andeasily lost when so removed. The retainer 33 is shown as formed with aslot 34 which may be engaged by the screw driver 25 for its adjustment.

To produce sparks from the element 29, an abradant surfaced wheel 35 isshown journalled about a horizontal axis and centrally disposed abovethe top of the receptacle and between the projecting portions 18, 19 ofthe walls 15, 16 upon a shaft 36. To cause revolution of the saidwheels, there is shown a reciprocating element 37 having, journalledthereon a pawl 38 coacting with ratchet teeth 39 formed upon a hub ofwheel 35, the pawl 38 being yieldingly ressed into contact with teeth 39by means o a coiled spring 40 coiled about the journal 41 of the pawl4and anchored about a finger 42 carried by the pawl `also anchored as at43 upon the reciprocating member 37. It will be seen that as thereciprocating member 37 is forced to the left in the'igures the abradantwheel will be caused to revolve and as the member 37 returns to normalposition the pawl will slip over teeth 39, revolution of the wheel beingprevented by its contact with the pyrophoric element 29, while the pawlis returning to normal.

To cause reciprocation of the member 37 there is shown a manuallyoperated lever 44 pivoted to the end wall 14 of the receptacle as at 45and also pivoted to a projecting member 46 carried by the reciprocatingmember 37. To return the lever 44 to its normal position there is showna plunger 47 shown as reciprocatingly mounted in cylinder or tubularmember 48 carried and located within the interior of receptacle 10, theplunger having an enlarged head 49 abutting against a coil spring 50acting against the interior end of the cylinder and urging the plungerto its projecting position shown in Fig. 1.

To provide a snuier for the wick 20, there is shown a cap member 51mounted upon a U-shaped lever 52, thetwo arms of which extend one uponeach side of the abradant wheel 35 and are journalled upon the shaft 36so that the snufler is j ournalled about the same axis as the wheel 35.To cause the snuier to lift when the wick is to be ignited,

,one arm 53 of the lever is shown as formed with a gear member or pinionteeth 54 meshing with rack teeth 55 formed upon the reciprocating member37. The snuer 51 will thus be caused to lift when reciprocating .tmember 37 is moved to the left in the Figure to ignite the wick and willbe returned to wick covering position by means of rack and pinion teethwhen the member 37 returns to normal position under influence of spring50.

To cover the spark producing mechanism, there is shown a shield member56 set between the portions 18, 19, in the side walls and securedtherebetween as by means of screws 57, 58, the shield having a reducedportion 59 arcuate in cross section projecting over the abradant wheel35 and extending between the arms of the U-shaped lever 52. The end wall13 and the edges ofthe side walls 15, 16 are desirably formed to providearcuate depression 60 Vfor convenience in grasping the device. The wickprojects vertically from the top of the receptacle adjacent the abradantwheel at one side thereof while the manually operated member 44 is onthe other side. The screw plug 26 which closes the lilling opening iscentrally disposed in the bottom of the receptacle while the tube 30extends through the receptacle from a point on the bottom thereof at oneside of the filling opening to a point at the top of the receptaclebeneath the abradant wheel, so that the coil spring 31 will urge thehead 32 and pyrophoric member toward the4 wheel. It will also be notedthat the pyrophoric member projects from the top of the receptacle andengages the abradant wheel some distance to one side of the verticalplane passing through the axis of the wheel, whereby when the wheel isrotated, sparks from the pyrophoric member are directed upwardly at anangle toward the top of the wick.

To limit the outward movement of lever 44 under action of the spring 50,there is shown a portion 61 projecting beyond the pivot 45 and adaptedto engage the wall 14 of the receptacle at the outward limit of movementof the lever 44. By the illustrated structure the point of vContact ofthe pyrophoric element 29 with the abradant wheel 35 will be the pointof tangency of a line passing slightly'above and closely adjacent theend of wick 20. Since sparks given olii' by the wheel 35 will follow thegeneral linc of a tangent to their point of production, they will actmore effectively upon vapors arising from the wick than if the point ofcontact of the pyrophoric element were differently chosen.

In operation the devicemay be grasped by a forenger of the user seatingin the recess 60 and by the thumb of the user pressing upon the lever 44whereupon by tightening the grasp the reciprocating member 37 may beforced inwardly causing the lifting of the snuii'er and the rotation ofthe wheel 35 by manual force to ignite the fuel, the parte` being heldin this position with the snuii'er elevated while the flame is beingused. When the grasp is released the spring 50 will return the parts totheir normal position, the snuffel' 51 seated upon the end of the wicktube 15 as shown in Fig. 1 thus effectually extinguishing the blaze.

Various other forms and features of my invention are disclosed andclaimed in my Patents No. 1,673,727, dated June' l2, 1928, and No.1,792,350, dated February 10, 1931, and in my copending applicationsSer. No. 323,329, filed December 3, 1928, and Ser. No. 196,255, filedJune 3, 1927 (the latter'being now involved in interference proceedings).t

.Many changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from itsspirit. y

I claim:

1. A cigar lighter comprising in combination, a fuel receptacle having atop wall and side walls projecting therebeyond in spaced relation, awick tube carried by said top wall and housing a wick projecting intosaid receptacle, an abradant wheel journalled between said projectingwalls, a hub upon said wheel bearing ratchet teeth, a pyrophoric elementmounted for pressure against said wheel, a lever journalled upon theaxis of said wheel, pinion teeth carried upon said lever to causemotionthereof about its axis. a snuil'er carried by said lever normallyhousing the projection of said wick, means reciprasante rocably mountedupon said top wall, a pawl pivoted upon said means and spring pressedinto contact with said ratchet teeth, rack teeth carried by said meansand meshing with said pinion teeth, means to cause reciprocation of saidmeans to simultaneously 4raise said snulfer and cause rotation of saidwheel, and spring means to retuin said reciprocable means to normalposition whereby to return said snuiier tonormal position and said pawlto position for subsequent action.

l 'il 2. A cigar lighter comprising in combination, a uel receptaclehaving a top wall, a wick tube mounted on said top wall housing a wickprojecting into said receptacle, pyrophoric sparking mechanism mountedupon said top wall adjacent said wick,an operating lever pivoted to theexterior of the receptacle adjacent the bottom wall thereof andextending alongside one edge of the receptacle, the opposite edge of thereceptacle having a depression for engagement by a fingerv of the userwhile the thumb is pressed against said lever, means operable by saidlever to cause actuation of said sparking mechanism.

3. Pyrophoric lighting mechanism comprising a receptacle, an abradantwheel journalled on said receptacle, a pyrophoric element biased intoengagement with said abradant wheel. a Wick tube, a wick extendingtherethrough, a movable snufier coacting with said wick tube, manualmeans for operating said abradant'wheel and for elevating said snuter,said manual means including a member mounted to reciprocate along a wallof said-receptacle and having a pair of longitudinally extending guidingportions extending at either side of said wheel, guiding means on saidreceptacle wall coacting respectively with said portions, another tubecarried by said receptacle and a reciprocatory member in said last namedtube, said reciprocatory member coacting with said manual means to biasthe latter and said snuffer as operated thereby, in their normalpositions respectively.

4. A lighter having in combination a fuel receptacle, an abradant wheelhaving ratchet means and journaled at the top of the receptacle, apyrophoric member in operative engagement with the wheel, a wickprojecting from the receptacle adjacent the wheel, a manually pressiblemember for operating said abradant wheel, at least a portion of saidmember being positioned at the top of said receptacle and opposite'fromsaid wick in respect to said wheel, a snuier for the wick pivotallymounted on the receptacle with an axis located between said manuallypressible portion and said wick, means operatively associating themanually pressible member with said snutfer member, and a pawl memberoperatively connected to said last named means and engaging said ratchetmember, said pawl means bein g positioned beneath the wheel and torestore the snutfer member to closed posi-M tion..

5. A lighter having in combination a fuel receptacle, an abradant Wheeljournaled at the top of the receptacle, a pyrophoric member in operativeengagement with the wheel, a wick projecting from the receptacleadjacent the wheel, a manually operable lever member extending in agenerally vertical direction along a wall of the receptacle and pivotedthereto at a point spaced substantially below the top thereof,l aslidable member extending along the top of said receptacle and beneathsaid wheel, said slidable member being pivotally connected to the upperportion ot said lever, a snutfer member for said wick pivotally mountedon said receptacle with an axis located between said manually operablelever and said wick, and interengaging means on said snuifer member andsaid slidable member whereby when said lever isy pressed, the snudermember will be raised, and ratchet and pawl means operable by saidslidable member whereby said wheel will be rotated concurrently with theelevation of said snutfer member.

Louis v. AaoNsoN.

